Mae West - Great Balls of Fire

Mae West was born in 1893. This record was released in 1972. She was 79. So yes, ladies and gentlemen, cougars are nothing new. The amount of groaning she does on the album however makes me wonder if she's trying to be sexy, or just has a really bad case of indigestion.



Anyway, the horrible celebrity vocals continue. Much like Mr. Savalis, she's not THAT bad...just not that good. Anybody for a Telly Savalis/Mae West duet? Ah, if only...

I tend to enjoy those classic movies occasionally, but I never really cared too much for Mae West. I'd rather watch a Katherine Hepburn title...did she ever make an album? Hah!



Side 1:
Great Balls of Fire
Men
The Naked Ape
The Grizzly Bear
Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On

Side 2:
Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen(Oh my. She actually sings it, "Happy birthday twenty-one." She's coming on to a fan who's "all grown up" now. She sounds like she's been stalking her young fans... Ew.)
After the Lights Go Down Low
Light My Fire (Oh man...the music on this is kind of fun, but wow, this is totally campy. Check it out. "No time to walla' in the mire...and our love become a flaming pie.")



How Miss West Won World Peace
(She charmed Mao. Could she have found bin Laden?)
Rock Around the Clock


John?

Where did you buy this record and when?

"I can't remember. I either got it at Izzy's or 'Off the Record'"

Do you own it in any other format?

"No."

What is your over-all impression of this album?

"It's horrible! But that's why I keep it!"

Favorite Track?

"I can't remember anything about it."

How many stars out of five?

"Negative 5!"

Telly Savalas - Who Loves You Baby

My first thought as I'm listening to this is, "Are you serious?"

I guess that remains to be seen.



The first track was really bad adult contemporary boring-ness, but the second, I can definitely see some comedic potential in this one. "Who Loves Ya Baby" is hilarious.

Remember a simpler time? (I mean, I really don't...I was born in 1981, so by the time I entered my "simple" years, things really weren't that simple.) Anyway, back in the day, when a popular singing star showed any inclination of having singing talent, it was time to make an album! How fun is that? (I only wish Randolph Mantooth had made one, but maybe he had too much self-respect for that...)

I am a big fan of a lot of classic tv, but I never got into Kojak, and I vaguely remember my mother watching re-runs of this show. I think she even found Telly attractive, and a lot of women did, but I just don't see the appeal. The 70's required a different kind of man. Telly Savalas was a sex symbol...and this album I'm sure sold to a lot of middle-aged women for their daily dose of Mr. Savalas' monotones. The only Telly I myself regard lives on Sesame Street.

It's not that he's a horrible singer. I've heard worse. He has that talking-singing style that belongs in Vegas. And I suppose he doesn't do all that bad for what it is. However, I find myself laughing out loud more than really "enjoying" it.

Here's the lovely paragraph from the back of the record by one Melvin Laird (gotta love a name like that) regarding Telly's work on this masterpiece:

One of the truly enthusiastic, charming, charismatic, hedonistic, soulful men I've ever met is Telly Savalas. His intense enjoyment and pursuit of the high velocity lifestyle dazzles and boggles the minds of men half his age! To have watched him emerge during the recording of this album as the consummate musical performer he longed to become, has been for me pure pleasure. The man may be a lousy baccarat player, but he sure wins my vote for a Permanent Star of the Ages Award! This is only the beginning, Telly...Thanks for all the hard work.

Should anybody really say more?

Take a listen to the hot title track, "Who Loves Ya Baby?"



Track Listing:



Side One-
This is All I Ask
Who Loves Ya Baby
Nevertheless (I'm In Love With You)
Gentle On My Mind

Side Two-
Love is Just a Word
(Ah the Apple Tree) When the World Was Young
A Good Time Man Like Me Ain't Got No Business Singing the Blues (a Jim Croce song...this is just pure fun. lol)
The Men In My Little Girl's Life (the naration on this is pretty funny)
Time

John?

Where did you buy this record and when?

"I bought it as Izzy's, and it had to be when I was just still a customer. It was only $1."

Do you own it in any other format?

"No!"

What is your over-all impression of this album?

"Hilarious!"

Favorite Track?

(Laugh) "The title cut, probably"

How many stars out of five?

(More laughter) "What's the opposite of giving stars?"

Various Artists - The British Psychedelic Trip 1965-1970, Vol 4

Psychedelic? Perhaps. Totally psychedelic? Perhaps not.



As I type out this particular blog, I'm almost halfway through the first side of this album and I'm thinking that this isn't your typical "psych comp". I think a lot of these songs are more British Pop, in my humble opinion...if we have to label things.

Nevertheless, this is an EXCELLENT compilation. From the first track, I've really been loving it. This is just the type of music I really enjoy, and it reminds me of the CD comps that John used to send me in the mail when we were first getting to know each other. It's really cool to discover these "new-to-me" bands.

Let's take a look at what's on this compilation:



Side 1:
That's the Way It's Got to Be - The Poets (Produced by Andrew Loog Oldham...we listened to "Loog's" show a lot on Little Steven's Underground Garage satellite radio station while we were drove from NJ back to MI on our vacation. Wow, can that guy ramble! And I thought I was bad...)

I Lied to Auntie May - The Neat Change (Co-writer credits lists a "Frampton"...could it be...?)

Movin' In - Toby Twirl

Glass House Green, Splinter Red - The Kinsman (A perky sounding song that is pretty much about death from what I gathered)

Lazy Day - Tinkerbells Fairydust (Wow...what a name. I know this song by Spanky and Our Gang. This version isn't bad, but I do prefer the former.)

Water Woman - Pacific Drift (This song stands out on this comp because it sounds different than all the others. I'm not too crazy about it, and it's featured twice on this album, of course by different groups. Maybe I'll like the other version better.)

Paper Chase - Love Children (This was great! I love simple pop songs. What does that say about me? :-P)

Whisper Her Name (Maria Laine) - Ice (Love it. Gotta find more of this 'Ice'.)

Peacefully Asleep - Life 'n Soul

Turn to Earth - Al Stewart (And all I knew was "Year of the Cat"...)

Side 2:

Baby Get Your Head Screwed On - Double Feature (This side starts off with songs that are a bit more soulful.)

8 1/2 Hours of Paradise - The Elastic Band (I totally dig this. I love those Brit bands that are obviously influenced by soul & R&B. Anything with an organ!)

Fade Away Maureen - Cherry Smash (So good! And I usually don't like cherry flavored anything. Hehe. Seriously, this is a great song.)

Gotta Wait - The Game

8.35 On the Dot - Peter Lee Stirling (Love the guitar in the beginning...and holy crap! According to the liner notes, Peter Lee Stirling is also known as "Daniel Boone" who does one my favorite cheesy 70's songs that John hates..."Beautiful Sunday"! I had no idea.)

All Our Christmases - The Majority (Interesting. The liner notes say that The Majority covered Ray Davies' "A Little Bit of Sunlight" and "Ring the Bells". That would be interesting to hear. This particular song is credited to "B. R. & M. Gibb". Yes, I do know who that is. It's very BeeGee'esque.)

Requiem - The Chocolate Watchband (Yet another song about death...but not so perky.)

Water Woman - Amazing Friendly Apple (Another great band name. I do like this version just a bit better.)

I'll Be Home (In a Day Or So) - Dream Police (They live inside of my head. They come to me in my bed. Sorry. I'm from Rockford, Illinois. One cannot let a Cheap Trick connection go by without commenting. Anyway, this song has quite the 70's feel to it. It was released in 1970, but oddly enough, I can hear some sort of soft-rock 70's band covering this in a heartbeat.)

Walking Through the Streets of My Mind - The Time Box (Great vibes - literally - and chimes too. I'm going to have to look into this group as well.)

The lesson from all of this? John has a TON of comps. I must pull them out once and awhile to discover more new things. Much like the comps he made for me helped me to delve into The Small Faces, Terry Reid and Love, I know I'll be searching for more by a lot of these bands on this album.

I give it four and a half stars!

John?

Where did you buy this record and when?



August 2, 1989 at Vintage Vinyl, as evidenced by this receipt.

Do you own it in any other format?

"I think I have two of these songs on CDs somewhere..."

What is your over-all impression of this album?

"To be honest, I don't think I've listened to it since I bought it and I'm in the other room listening and I think it's really good. A lot of it doesn't sound like psych, but more like blue-eyed soul music. It's interesting to see a lot of the names in songwriting credits and production. The Neat Change track is written by Alan Bown and Peter Frampton, "Baby Get Your Head Screwed On" is a Cat Stevens song and "Turn To Earth" is a Yardbirds track from their eponymous 1966 album. I remember putting it on a tape for my friend Robert out in Marin County and him remarking that it sounded like Richard Simmons singing!"

Favorite Track?

"Baby Get Your Head Screwed On, definitely. And that Elastic Band track right behind it."

How many stars out of five?

"Five!"

Neil Innes - How Sweet to Be An Idiot

I would just like to start out by saying that even without having heard this album before, which I haven't, I think Neil Innes is awesome.

His work as "Ron Nasty" (and principal songwriter) in The Rutles (which I absolutely love), as well as what little I know of him as a member of the Bonzos had me going into this listen with a lot of respect. And I found that none of that was tarnished.



"How Sweet to Be An Idiot" was Neil Innes' first solo record, cut in 1973. So, this was probably after the Bonzos and a bit before The Rutles act gained any popularity.



Side One:
Prologue
Momma Bee
Immortal Invisible
Topless A Go-Go
Feel No Shame

Side Two:
How Sweet to Be An Idiot
Dream
L'Amour Perdu
Song for Yvonne
This Love of Ours
Singing a Song Is Easy

This album is a mix of the serious and the sweetly humorous sides of Neil, which appeals to someone like me a great deal. The majority of the first side is a bit bluesy for my personal taste, but the second side has a lot of lovely songs that have nice little funny parts that had me chuckling here and there. I especially enjoyed "L'Amour Perdu" where he cleverly does some word play with French and English. What can I say...I like witty people.

A few of the songs on side two, I can't help but think they're a bit Beatles inspired, which couldn't hurt considering that Neil would become known for making one of the best Beatles parodys ever...but the music of The Rutles didn't poke fun at The Beatles, so I guess parody isn't the right word. You can tell that Neil has a lot of respect for the group, so his songs are more of a salute than anything.

All in all, I think "How Sweet To Be An Idiot" is a cute little record. Neil Innes just seems to be one of those people that you probably couldn't hate if you tried.

Oh, and evidentally, Oasis took "How Sweet to Be an Idiot" and turned it into a single called "Whatever". Never heard it. They got sued.


I give the album 3 1/2 stars.

John?

Where did you buy this record and when?
This is probably one of my first purchases from Izzy's. It was something I picked up in '94 or '95, before I became an employee.

Do you own it in any other format?
No. I think I have "How Sweet to Be An Idiot" as a bonus track on one of the Bonzos albums

What is your over-all impression of this album?
To be honest, I don't think I've listened to it since I bought it, and I don't remember it being this good! It automatically sounds very British. Great backing musicians too.

Favorite Track?
Just from listening to it now, I like "Momma Bee" and "L'Amour Perdu"

How many stars out of five?
Four and 1/2